1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in method and means for bonding of one article to another and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a sonic method and means for bonding said articles together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The importance and usefulness of sonics and ultrasonics are becoming more and more apparent, and there is presently considerable activity in industry for expanding the utilization of these energies. There are many areas wherein the use of sonics and ultrasonics may be utilized for reducing time required for completing or accomplishing many work operations, with the end result being also improved. In the dental art, for example, there has been activity in expanding the use of sonics as shown in the Mumaw U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,149, issued July 25, 1967, and entitled "instrument for Loosening Teeth With High-Frequency Vibrations." The Mumaw Patent discloses an instrument having transducers disposed within a housing and operably connected between an ultrasonic generator and horns for transmitting reciprocal motion to the horns. The horns are secured to the diametrically opposed sides of a driving head which is oscillated as the horns reciprocate in alternating and opposite directions. The driving head is provided with tooth engaging means, and the high-frequency oscillation of the driving head is transmitted to the tooth for gently loosening the tooth in its alveolar socket. In the case of an orthodontic application, the tooth is loosened only sufficiently for altering the position thereof in the surrounding tissue, whereas in a tooth extraction operation, or the like, the tooth is loosened completely for a quick and efficient removal of the tooth with a minimum of damage to the surrounding portions of the alveolar bone. Other sonic applications have been set forth in the dental art, such as that shown in the Rapuano U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,372, issued Dec. 7, 1976, and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Securing a Retention Pin to a Tooth", the Takemoto et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,125, issued Nov. 28, 1978, and entitled "Devices for Transmitting Ultrasonic Waves to Teeth", and the Bailey U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,562, issued Dec. 27, 1955, and entitled "Vibrating Device for Denture Material".
The high-frequency method for facilitating the straightening of teeth shown in the aforementioned Mumaw patent has certain disadvantages in that the movement of the loosened teeth during an orthodontic procedure following the Mumaw method is usually too great, or not of sufficient "finesse" and the teeth may revert to the original position thereof too readily. As a result, the time honored method of straightening of the teeth through the use of orthodontic brackets bonded to the teeth, and associated elements and procedures is still in widespread use today, and it is common practice in a tooth straightening procedure to clean each tooth carefully prior to an etching of the tooth for preparing thereof to receive the orthodontic bracket, or the like. The efficient cleaning of the tooth or teeth is time consuming and exacting, as is the etching operation, and in addition, it is extremely important to maintain the cleaned and etched tooth or teeth completely dry prior to the attachment of the bracket to the tooth. This is because moisture is a detriment to the bonding process required for attaching the bracket to the tooth, and since the normal bracket is usually quite small in configuration, presenting a very small area for bonding of the bracket to the tooth, the efficiency of the bonding is exceedingly important. Of course, other dental procedures are time consuming and costly, such as the making of tooth or teeth impressions, molding of dentures, and the like, self-cleaning sterilization, mixing of amalgum, and the like, and other such procedures which may be improved through the use of sonics or ultrasonics. Of course, it has also been found that many of the problems encountered in the care and control of teeth are generally similar to some of the problems encountered in connection with the care and repair of bone structures of the body.
To further emphasize the processes involved in the bonding of orthodontic brackets to teeth, the usual steps comprise an initial cleaning of the tooth, or teeth, followed by an etching process accomplished by the application of phosphoric acid, or the like, to the surface of the tooth and for an extended period of time. The acid or acids used for the etching of the teeth normally penetrate the teeth, dissolving enamel prisms or a honeycomb of approximately thirty microns deep. These prismatic rods usually average four microns in diameter. Subsequent to the etching of the tooth, the tooth is again cleaned, and the etched and cleaned tooth is maintained substantially absolutely dry in preparation for the bonding of the bracket member thereto. It will be apparent that the requirement for keeping the tooth dry is difficult to achieve in view of the quantity of saliva normally present in the mouth surrounding the tooth and any reduction of the time required for the bonding of the bracket to the tooth is a great advantage, not only for the foregoing reasons, but also in that a saving of time in the bonding operation considerably alleviates the maintaining of the tooth in the required dry condition.